Multiple head punch holder



Feb. 15, 1966 G. ca. F. SMEETS 3,234,839

MULTIPLE HEAD PUNCH HOLDER Filed April 27, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb.15, 1966 e. e. F. SMEETS 3,234,839

MULTIPLE HEAD PUNCH HOLDER Filed April 27, 1964 2. Sheets-Sheet 2 UnitedStates Patent 3,234,839 MULTIPLE HEAD PUNCH HOLDER Gerard Gaston FransSmeets, Brampton, Ontario, Canada, assignor to Pierce-All ManufacturingLimited, Rexdale, Ontario, Canada Filed Apr. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 362,75215 Claims. (Cl. 83-549) This invention is directed to a sheet metalworking machine and more particularly to a multiple head punch holderfacilitating the rapid substitution of punches radically diiferent insize.

Multiple punch holders have been used and they take the form of arotating turret which comprises a large disc with a number of punchholders in its periphery. The machine incorporating such a turret holdermust be specially made in order to provide the large throat necessaryfor the rotatable disc punch holder.

The present invention overcomes the disadvantage of known multiple punchholder devices in that a special machine need not be used. Use is madeof a multiple punch holding mechanism wherein the mechanism is made upof a plurality of separate holders, each journalled on a shaft securedto the press machine, and in the form of swingable arms havingpredetermined punch holding openings therein. The swingable punchholding arms are selectively lockable in a predetermined positionWhereat the punch ram may contact the pressure head of a mounted punchto perform a punching operation. The punch holding arms are keyed toprovide proper punch orientation.

In one embodiment of the invention the punch holders are mounted at theends of flexible arm members, the pressure of the ram during punchingensures the orthogonal position of the punch with respect to the sheetbeing punched. A rugged construction is therefore not required resutingin an economical multiple punch holder device.

The invention will now be described with reference to the figures of thedrawing in which similar parts are similarly designated and wherein;

FIGURES l, 2 and 3 show three embodiments of the invention incorporatedin a machine press,

FIGURE 4- is a plan view of the multiple punch holding mechanism proper,and,

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view of one of the punch holder units removedfrom the multiple holder.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 a machine press, shown only in part, comprisesa table 1 and an overhanging ram support and guide 2 in which ram 3 isjournalled for vertical movement. A further supporting member 11, whichmay be integral with member 2, is journalled to accept a shaft 7 havinga flanged head 7a at its lower end and a support arm 9 secured to itsupper end. Shaft 7 is biased in the upward direction by means of ahelical spring 8. The vertical movement of shaft 7 is limited by a bolt10 which passes through arm 9.

On the lower end of shaft 7 three punch-assembly holding arms 4, 5 and6, shown more clearly by FIG- URES 4 and 5, are journalled forindividual swinging movement in a horizontal plane so that any selectedarm maybe positioned in alignment with ram 3 and a die member 16. InFIGURE 1 arm 4 is shown in alignment with ram 3 and provided with apunch assembly comprising a punch guide 13, a punch 30 and a stripperspring 12. A vertically movable locking pin 14, to be described morefully with reference to FIGURES 4 and 5, locks the selected arm 4 inposition.

In operation, the punch is moved downward by ram 3 to clamp a sheet 15,to be punched, between guide 13 and the die 16. The ram continuesdownward to perform the punching operation compressing spring 12 andmoving lift arm 9 downon shaft 7 and compressing spring 8. Upon releaseof the pressure by ram 3, spring 12 performs the stripping action andlift arm 9, with the assistance of spring 8, raises the punch assembly01f sheet 15 to release same.

The embodiment shown in FIGURE 2 differs from that shown in FIGURE 1 inthat shaft 7 is shortened and does not slide vertically in member 11. Inthis embodiment the punch guide 17 is vertically movable in the holderarm 4 and normally is maintained in a raised position by means of aspring 18 so that sheet 15 may be readily inserted or removed frombetween guide 17 and die 16.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, a pair of elongated, overlying, sheet-like,flexible arms 20, 21 are spaced at one end by a spacer element 23 andmounted on the press table by means of bolts 22 and a further spacer 24.

At the other ends of the flexible arms 20, 21, a shaft 26 is secured bymeans of a tight fitting encircling member 25 which is secured to theupper arm 20 by bolts 29. Shaft 26 passes through arm 20 and is securedby means, not shown, to arm 8. Shaft 26 is provided with upper threadedportion 26a upon which is threaded a nut 27 securing a lift-arm 28against vertical removal from shaft 26. Lift arm 28 is free to slidevertically on shaft 26 limited in movement by member 25 and nut 27. Theother end of lift-arm 28 is secured to the ram 3 to move verticallytherewith.

Three punch holding arms 4, 5 and 6 are journalled for horizontalswinging on shaft 26 between the ends of flexible arms 20, 21. Lockingkey 14 ensures correct alignment of the arm in use.

The punch holding arms 4, 5 and 6 will now be described in detail withreference to FIGURES 4 and 5, it being understood that the punch holdingarms are of similar construction but accommodating different ranges ofpunch sizes. Punch holding unit 4, FIGURE 5, is

shown provided with a bearing portion 4b journalled to accept shaft 7 or26 as the case may be. The outer end 40, is free to swing about theshaft from a position clear of ram 3 to a punching position wherein itis in alignment therewith.

The punch holder 4 is provided with a punch holding aperture 4a. A keyslot 19 is provided in the upper surface of 4c and the verticallymovable locking device 14,

shown in FIGURES 1, 2 or 3, is utilized to lock the punch holdingaperture in axial alignment with ram 3. Locking device 14 is journalledfor vertical movement in members 11 or 25 and is provided with a keyfoot which fits snugly into slot 19. Key 14 is preferably bi-, aseddownward, for instance, by a helical spring, not shown, so that when thepunch holding aperture is in axial alignment with ram 3 the key snapsinto slot 19 to lock the unit in this position.

The slot portion 19a which is an extension of slot 19 may be utilizedfor orientation of the punch guide 13 or 17 shown in the embodiments ofFIGURES 1, 2 or 3. Other orientation means may also be employed.

Punch holding arms 5 and 6 are of similar construction to that of arm 4.It will be evident that the punch holding units 4, 5 and 6 can bereadily selected and aligned with the ram 3 and die 16, the units not inuse being stored in an out of the way position :as shown.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown, variousmodifications may be made which do not depart from the spirit and scopeof the invention as defined in the appended claims. For instance, theswingable arms may be mounted above flexible arm 20 or below flexiblearm 21 by means of an extension of shaft 13.

What is claimed is:

1. A multiple punch head assembly comprising a plurality of punchholding arm units swingably journalled at Jr one end in stackedrelationship on a shaft provided therefor, punch guide accommodatingapertures provided in the other ends of said arms, and means toselectively lock said punch holding arm units in a predetermined angularorientation with respect to said shaft.

2. The multiple punch head assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidarms accommodate different punch guide sizes.

3. A multiple punch head assembly comprising a plurality of punchholding arms each journalled at one end to pivot in a plane about acommon shaft and provided at the other end with a punch guideaccommodating aperture in the said plane, a slot provided in one surfaceof each arm and locking means, cooperating with the slot of a selectedarm to maintain it in a predetermined angular position with respect to,said shaft.

4. The multiple punch head as claimed in claim 3 wherein said armsaccommodate different punch guide sizes.

5. A multiple punch head assembly comprising a pair of flat elongatedflexible arms secured in spaced overlying relationship, means forproviding securement of said arms, at one common end thereof, to thetable of a machine press, a shaft passing between and securing the otherends of, said arms in spaced relationship, a plurality of punch holdingarms swingably journalled at one end in stacked relationship. on saidshaft, punch guide accommodating apertures provided in the other ends ofsaid arms, and means, to selectively lock said punch holding arm unitsin a predetermined angular orientation with respect to said shaft.

6. The multiple punch head assembly as claimed in claim. 5 wherein saidarm units accommodate different punch guide sizes.

7. The. machine press as claimed in claim 5, wherein said flexible armsare biased to lift the multiple punch head assembly clear of the saiddie between punching operations.

8. The machine press as claimed in claim 5 wherein the multiple punchhead assembly is raised by and in conjunction with the raising of theram after a punching operation the means utilized comprising an armsecured at one end to the ram and having its other journalled forlimited vertical movement on an extension of said. shaft.

9. In a machine press, a multiple punch head assembly comprising a pairof flat elongated flexible arms secured at a common one of their ends inspaced overlying relationship, a shaft passing between orthogonally tothe flatsurface of and spacing the other ends of said flexible 50members, a plurality of punch holding arm units journalled at oneoftheir ends for pivotal movement about and in stacked relationship onsaid shaft, a punch guide holding aperture provided in the other end ofeach punch holding arm unit, means to selectively and individually lockeach punch holding arm unit in axial alignment with respect to a dieholding unit, and ram means axially aligned with the axis of said dieholding unit for applying punching pressure to a punch when held in aselectively positioned punch holding arm unit.

10. The machine press as claimed in claim 9, wherein said flexible armsare biased to lift the multiple punch head assembly clear of the saiddie between punching operations.

11. The machine press as claimed in claim 9, wherein the multiple punchhead assembly is raised by and in conjunction with the raising of theram after a punching operation the means utilized comprising an armsecured at one end to the ram and having its other end journalled forlimited vertical movement on an extension of said shaft.

12. In a machine press having a work table, a ram and a die, a multiplepunch head assembly comprising a plurality of punch holding armseach-journalled at one end to pivotably rotate in a plane above saidwork table and about a common shaft secured with respect to said press,a punch guide accommodating aperture provided in the other end of eacharm, locking means provided to selectively secure one of said armsagainst rotation about said shaft and in a position in alignment withsaid ram and die.

13. The machine press as claimed in claim 12 wherein said shaft isresiliently secured to allow axial movement thereof towards and awayfrom said work table.

14. The machine press as claimed in claim 12 wherein a punch-guide isresiliently supported in said punch-guide accommodating aperture.

15. The machine press as claimed in claim 12 wherein said locking meanscomprises a locking pin secured for movement orthogonally to said planeadjacent said shaft and biased towards said arms and slot means providedon each arm with which said pin cooperates selectively to providelocking the selected arm against rotation.

References Cited by-the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 115,287 5/1871Draper 83--549 X 699,552 5/1902 McLaren 83-55;2

939,958 11/1909 Koelsch 83-552 1,704,962 3/1929 Bollaert 83-5522,280,701 4/1942 Hagerstrom et al. 83-552 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,244,3709/1960 France.

WILLIAM W. DYER, JR., Primary Examiner.

I. M. MEISTER, Assistant Examiner.

1. A MULTIPLE PUNCH HEAD ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PUNCHHOLDING ARM UNITS SWINGABLY JOURNALLED AT ONE END IN STACKEDRELATIONSHIP ON A SHAFT PROVIDED THEREFOR, PUNCH GUIDE ACCOMMODATINGAPERTURES PROVIDED IN THE OTHER ENDS OF SAID ARMS, AND MEANS TOSELECTIVELY LOCK SAID PUNCH HOLDING ARM UNITS IN A PREDETERMINED ANGULARORIENTATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID SHAFT.